Tohui

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Tohui, also known as Towi (July 21, 1981 – November 16, 1993), was the second giant panda born in captivity outside China and the first to survive into adulthood. Born at Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, she became a Mexican cultural icon. Her Tarahumara name means “male child,” and after a naming contest it was revealed she was a girl; the female form Tehuete exists. The name variants include tohui, toui, and towi.

She was the daughter of Ying Ying and Pe Pe, pandas gifted to Mexico by China on September 10, 1975. Their first cub Xen Li was born in 1980 but lived only eight days. Tohui later had a daughter named Xin Xin, conceived with a panda named Chia Chia from the London Zoo.

Tohui died on November 16, 1993, at age 12, from leptospirosis. Her remains are on display at Chapultepec Zoo with her parents and Chia Chia. After her birth, cameras were installed to monitor her well-being. Her fame helped Chapultepec Zoo gain attention and funding, including the opening of its first veterinary hospital. A song about her, “El pequeño panda de Chapultepec,” was written for First Lady Carmen Romano and performed by Yuri, selling about a million copies. To celebrate her fifth birthday, Banco de México minted a commemorative coin showing Tohui with her mother Ying Ying.